Air spring devices, also referred to as air springs for short, which are clamped between the running gear assembly and the body and have an air spring bellows which, in turn, is secured between the air spring components comprising the air spring cover and the air spring piston, are known in a large number of embodiments. In operation, the air spring is under an internal excess pressure. Under load and during spring movements, the air spring bellows rolls on the outer contour of at least one concentric air spring piston, forming a rolling fold as it does so. An air spring of this kind is often used in road or rail vehicles to achieve comfortable springing.
In this context, there are both air springs in which the air spring bellows forms a rolling fold on only one side, namely generally on the air spring piston, and also air springs in which the air spring bellows is clamped between the air spring cover and the air spring piston, forming a (rolling) fold on both sides. Air springs with a rolling fold on one side can generally be found in passenger vehicles, while the often larger air springs with a rolling fold on both sides, which are capable of bearing heavier loads, tend to be installed in trucks and rail vehicles.
In order to achieve good harshness behavior and comfortable springing behavior, thin air spring bellows are used, these generally being produced as rubber bellows reinforced with fabric. For this purpose, the air springs can furthermore be provided with an external guide which surrounds the air spring bellows as a supporting body.
To attach/clamp the external guide on the air spring bellows, there are essentially two possibilities. On the one hand, clamping of the external guide can be accomplished from the outside on an inner clamping ring. On the other hand, clamping of the external guide is possible by means of an external clamping ring via a supporting element. Clamping the external guide in this way is known from EP 1 144 210 B1, which is incorporated by reference, for example. According to EP 1 144 210 B1, an external support bearing consisting of a textile, elastomeric or thermoplastic material is provided in addition to the air spring bellows, said support bearing being attached to the upper end of the external guide by means of a clamping ring. This support bearing is intended to limit both the axial movement of the external guide and the radial expansion of the air spring bellows in the cardanic fold but at the same time to allow the cardanic movement.